Midnight Counseling
by D. Destiny
Summary: What the title says, nothing more, nothing less :) Originally a stand-alone story, but it involved in an ongoing series :) ***Seventh story added*** Want me to keep going? R&R please!
1. Midnight Counseling I I, Borg

Little shorty, no plot, no reason but an attempt to explore the relation between two shipmates J Set during the episode _I, Borg_. Let me know if it makes sense and is believable (or not) it will be greatly appreciated!

**Midnight Counseling**

Hearing the chimes of the door the woman on the couch reluctantly raised her head. Who would be stopping by at a time like this? It was one a.m, every sensible person would be sleeping now.

"Come in." The doors slid apart and revealed a woman standing in the corridor, but already making her way in. A long skirt flowed behind her and nearly got caught between the doors as they closed again.

The woman on the couch was about to get up when the visitor rose her hand and spoke. "Don't bother, I know the routine." More than happy not to have to leave her comfortable position she remained seated and watched the other walk to the replicator and order two cups of 'her special addiction' as she liked to call it.

Gratefully she accepted the drink offered to her and politely waited till the other had taken a seat as well before she sipped the tea. She pushed some locks of ebony curls out her face and regarded the woman across her. "One day you'll have to tell what this stuff is. It tastes wonderful." 

Unfortunately for her she didn't yield and simply smiled in response, just as she had for as long as Deanna could remember. "I like the hat, where did you get this one?"

Instead of the knowing smile the dark woman across the room was famous for she now chuckled. "Curious as always aren't we Miss Troi?" The Betazoid just shook her head and waited for the answer, knowing it would come.

"Hirak Yam, a planet on the boarder of the Beta-quadrant." When the El-Aurian didn't continue her explanation Deanna raised her head and locked her black eyes on the brown ones of the Enterprise's bartender.

"Something wrong?" Guinan briefly diverted her gaze, seemingly considering whether or not she wanted to tell the Ship's Counselor what was on her mind.

"Before I start attacking you with my problems, just how tired are you Miss Troi?" Deanna smiled slightly, being once again remembered that there wasn't much that escaped her friend.

"What makes you say I'm tired at all?" This time it was Guinan who smiled, being remembered that Deanna Troi wasn't someone who easily admitted her feelings to others.

"Well, you didn't pick up on my worries immediately as you do usually." At this the empath nodded.

"I took a slight psylo-synine inhibitor, with all the emotional shifts the crew has experienced the past days it became increasingly difficult to keep up the barrier between my own emotions and those of others." Guinan was about to reply when Deanna cut her off, her voice coy and cheery. "Don't worry, I'm not tired enough, and yes I'm sure."

"You've come to know me too well." The El-Aurian sighed.

"Well, in any case, you're still a mystery to practically everyone else onboard the ship. So what are you going to do about it? Kill me?" Both drank the last bit of their drinks and put their glasses back on the table.

"I might, but not tonight, I need your advice." Deanna put down her cup and fought a yawn away. Her senses told her that the problem Guinan was facing was worrying her more than she cared to admit.

"The Borg." 

Guinan snorted in mock-acknowledgement. "Hugh, they *named* a Borg." The strong waves of emotions pouring from the El-Aurian slammed against Troi's weakened shields; the tension and fear that had been roaming through the ship since the captain had decided to bring the Borg onboard had been taking their toll on her senses. "Geordi wants me to listen to him."

"Will you?" 

"That's an annoying habit you know." Guinan smiled faint-heartedly and stood up. "I don't know." Deanna rose to her feet as well, deliberately doing so slowly to keep herself from swaying, and moved to stand in front of her friend.

"The anger and fear you feel is understandable," she said quietly, "a lot of people on board feel it."

"You would know, of course. Tell me, have you talked to him." When Deanna's expression remained even Guinan chuckled softly. "I guess that was a silly question. Should I talk to him?" 

"How would you feel if you didn't?" The question surprised Guinan to  greater extend that it should've.

"What?"

"How will you feel in three of four weeks, when you see Geordi in your bar grieving for the loss of someone he considered a friend while you're celebrating the destruction of the Borg?" The rude way in which Deanna verbalized her question seemed to escape the El-Aurian as she sought for an answer. Troi had a point she knew. How often hadn't she told visitors of her bar to try and look at a fight they were having from their enemies point of view? How often hadn't she stressed that people should never lower themselves to the level of those whom they despised.

Could she not look at the Borg whom they were going to make destroy his kind and live with that knowledge? "I guess you just found your answer, didn't you?" Whether Deanna simply had so much experience with emotions that she could predict what someone was thinking, or that she really picked up her thought Guinan couldn't tell, but she appreciated the help the counselor had given her.

"Thank you Deanna." She squeezed the Betazoid's hand in gratitude and turned to leave.

"Guinan, could you talk to captain Picard? He refuses to acknowledge the emotions he's feeling and won't to talk to me." A silent nod sealed the deal as the doors opened and Guinan stepped into the corridor.

"Peaceful emotions Miss Troi."

"Happy thoughts Guinan."

And the doors closed.


	2. Midnight Counseling II I, Borg

Just so that they're warned...whatever fics either Carol of Patty will be posting in the next three weeks...I'll *beg* them for sequels *hands in hips*

Well girls...I decided to go nice on ya, so here's the follow-up story on Midnight Counseling...amazingly called Midnight Counseling II (I've hit an all time low on title-names...ask Patty)...hope you're happy now and will enjoy it ;)

**Midnight**** Counseling II**

For the second night in row the quiet sounds of the annunciator forced Deanna to change her comfortable position on her couch. "Come in" she called and watched as a dark figure entered her quarters just enough for the doors to close again.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" She should, both women knew as much, but the emotional out put of the crew was too strong.

"Nope" Deanna replied cheerfully.

"And why not?" The visitor lifted the skirt of her dress up as she sat down to make sure it wouldn't get in the way and mimicked the counselor's posture; legs crossed and hands neatly folded together in her lap.

"Because then you would've encountered a closed door now." Guinan shook her head in disbelief, Troi's wittiness still amazed and she really should know better after four years. "So, what was it like?" 

Playtime's over, Guinan quoted her mother silently. "Surreal" she replied "very different from what 

I had expected." And Deanna smiled that damn knowing smile of hers again. She had one of her own she knew, but Deanna's only appeared when she knew that her companion/patient knew Troi was right and was thereby twice as effective.

"Better or worse?" she asked even so. 

"Both." She didn't intend to elaborate further on that point; certainly not without being asked another question. Damn those Betazoid eyes. "He really is his own person, not quite an individual yet, but getting there. But then you know that of course."

Of course, she had been monitoring his psychology of course. Deanna remained steadily gazing into the El-Aurian's brown eyes from across the table, not revealing anything about her own thoughts or emotions. "Sometimes I wonder which one of us is the bigger mystery to the crew" Guinan mused aloud as she made her way to the replicator. They'd made the deal that when Guinan was at Deanna's place she would fix the drinks and when Deanna came to Ten-Forward or Guinan's quarters she would fetch the drinks.

"Don't worry, you're position isn't being threatened." Fathomless black eyes told her gratitude as the counselor accepted her drink and watched Guinan settled down again. "I hate it when you make me do all the talking, I'm supposed to listen."

"You aren't supposed to do *anything* but wait the exhausted officers who're off duty and dying for a drink" Troi told her in a forceful, yet mischievous voice as she had done dozens of time before. "Besides," she added, "you often enough listen to my whining."

The standard reply --for they'd had this little discussion a dozen times over-- didn't come this time, as the El-Aurian's mind was focused on the matter of the Borg named Hugh. "He really is just a little lost boy. He even forgot to tell me I would be assimilated."

"Forgot or didn't?" That was something she hadn't considered. She tried to remember what he had said as she remembered the uncertainty he had radiated. It was somewhat shocking to realize she had completely missed that because she had been so absorbed in her own fear and anger.

"*Don't*" Deanna's voice shot through the room, edged with just a hint of hysteria; probably due to the tension she was experiencing. The short exclamation engendered the desired response, the guilt disappeared.

"I think he didn't." Guinan vocalized her conclusion --unnecessary, she knew. "How do you feel about the plan Data and Geordi came up with?" And again she received a silent response from the Betazoid's black eyes, this time encased in unshed tears.

"I don't like it. But it's not my right to judge other's reasoning either. I never lost a loved one to the Borg, my home world hasn't been attacked." The emotional turmoil within the El-Aurian increased for a second, being reminded of what had happened to her own world and family, then she forced herself to calm down.

"But you sensed it. All of it." True enough, both knew. She did sense all of it; the fear and trepidation in advance, the pain and horror during the assimilation, the agony of those who were left behind and the grief for those who were killed. "You know, I relished in the idea that within a month or so the Borg would've been destroyed. I never was overjoyed about it, but I couldn't help but feel justified for *liking* the thoughts of a Borgless universe.

"I know" the counselor whispered softly, "everyone did, to varying degrees...but opinions and emotions change."

"They do. And now that I've seen Hugh I don't want to send him back as a living bomb." And Deanna smiled again, obviously pleased with what Guinan told her. 

"Have you talked to Captain Picard?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. Right after I had the chance to over think my conversation with Hugh," Troi's smile grew wider as she realized her friend had gone from calling the Borg ' it' and 'a Borg'  to seeing him as a single person, as Hugh. "I don't know if he will talk to him though." She really didn't. For all intends and purposes Guinan had always believed she knew and understood Jean-Luc Picard, but none of his behavior in this matter made sense to her.

"He will."

"What makes you so sure?"

"You did." The two words send Guinan chuckling quietly as she rose. Deanna Troi, you're a wise lady, she thought, knowing better than to say it aloud.

"Peaceful emotions Miss Troi."

"Happy thoughts Guinan."

And the doors closed.


	3. Midnight Counseling III I, Borg

For this one I can only blame Patty (or thank her...I'll decide on that after the reviews )

Same rating, same summary, different words (again).

I'm not entirely happy with Guinan's lines, but I didn't know how to make it better *shrugs*

**Midnight**** Counseling III**

In the light of the stars she waited for her visitor to come; for she knew she would eventually. The room was empty and the only illumination came from the stars outside. Just the way she liked it best; empty and clean before the nightshift came of duty and when the majority of the people on board were a sleep.

"Shouldn't you be a sleep?" The melodious voice filled the air and announced the arrival of the visitor. The host made sure she didn't stir and kept her gaze outside, waiting for the other woman to take the seat next to her.

"As should you Miss Troi." 

"Hmm." Deanna muffled in agreement. "I'll stop by Sickbay for some sleep inducers tomorrow; it's my day off anyway. I like the hat by the way, it's new isn't it?" Guinan raised an eyebrow in surprise as Troi shove a glass to her across the table.

The El-Aurian picked up the drink and sipped, trying to determine what the turquoise liquid within was. "Actually, it's the one I wore when we fled our home world." She eyed her companion as she spoke and witnessed the dark ringlets under her eyes and the sadness in her features. "The last days have worn you out, haven't they?"

"The curse of an empath" Deanna replied with a remarkable cheerfulness in her voice. "I'm happy with the outcome though."

Guinan noticed the unsaid words; no doubt unsaid intentionally. And so, as a good patient is supposed to do, she finished the counselor's sentence "but you wished he could have kept his individuality."

"Naturally."

"Naturally." She tried to figure out what just happened, but after replaying the last couple of sentences in her head she still wasn't sure. "Some times I wonder how you manage not to annoy your patients away, counselor." 

"But you're not my patient." Deanna stood up from her chair and walked to the view port, where she settled herself onto the window ledge. The view for Guinan was almost alien, despite the many cultures she had encountered on her travels. Troi's hair was as black as the space surrounding her, but because of the starlight it was outlined by a yellow-hue and in perfect contrast with the paleness of her skin. The skirt of her dress uniform hung down along the wall and her knees where drawn up against her chest.

"But you don't scare me" the El-Aurian countered. 

"So what you're saying is that, for me to be your counselor I'd have to scare you." She turned her head towards Guinan and searched for the whites of her friend's eyes for Guinan's dark skin and clothing blended in perfectly with the background. "So tell me, how do you feel, knowing that we let go of a perfect opportunity to dismantle the entire Borg-collective?"

The words might not have scared her, but they certainly shocked her. And the empath just kept gazing at her with those damnable black eyes. Of course there had been occasions before where the roles had been reversed, and those situations were by far more preferable to the El-Aurian. "I'm, not sure." She hesitated, looking at Troi for any hint of encouragement and of course found none whatsoever.

The emotions Deanna sensed from her friend, as weak as she perceived them due to her mental exhaustion, were a lot like the ones she'd sensed from Picard and she understood the relationship between the captain and the mysterious bartender a little better than before. "A part of me is yelling at the captain, at myself, that we just signed our death warrant and a part of me can't help but hope that more Borg will become as Hugh."

"Which is pretty much the way everyone feels." She turned her head back to the stars and resumed her stargazing while she gave Guinan the time to think about what had been said.

"What about the captain?"

"His emotions are more complex" she replied solemnly, knowing that the El-Aurian was aware that she couldn't just give her an emotional analysis. The bartender seemed content with that information and drank the last bit of the turquoise liquid she had been given.

Guinan stood up and came to stand directly behind the Betazoid. "I admire him, you know. It goes against everything I ever believed about the Borg, but I really do admire him for the decision he made."

Deanna turned and smiled a brilliant smile; obviously *very* happy with how the past days had affected her friends. "I know."

"Deanna, tell me" the playfulness that was usually laced through their conversations disappeared "was Hugh sad when he chose to return?"

She turned until her back rested against the window her and legs dangled over the edge of the wall. "Yes and no. He was sad, knowing that he would loose the memory of his friendship, but glad he could help preventing us from being assimilated, as well as happy to go home."

"I can't help but wonder what he'd be like, had he not been assimilated." She murmured without expecting a reply.

Deanna resumed her previous position and whispered "Someone very special, no doubt" in a voice so quietly it could hardly be heard as she returned her gaze outside.

"What was that drink you gave me by the way?" Despite having no view of the counselor's features Guinan just knew she was grinning broadly.

"I won't tell if you won't." Damn that wittiness!

"Fine, have it your way. I'll find it out sooner or later!" Guinan called as she headed for the exit. "Peaceful emotions Miss Troi."

"Happy thoughts Guinan."

And the doors closed.


	4. Midnight Counseling IV Data's Day

**Midnight**** Counseling IV**

Data's Day

"The party is over Miss Troi"

With a tired smile Deanna Troi acknowledged her hostess. "So it is." 

The dark-skinned woman sat down in the empty chair next to the counselor. "Stayed to help me clean up the mess?" Black, Betazoid eyes scanned the El-Aurian's face, trying to get an accurate sense of her emotions through the haze of her empathy.

"Sure" she replied after a pause, but remained seated.

"Long day?"

"Rollercoaster day" Deanna corrected and turned her gaze to the stars seemingly lost in thoughts. Guinan followed her lead and squinted her eyes as if trying to see there weren't any Warbirds around by any chance. "We are eight hundred light-years away from the Neutral Zone you know."

The El-Aurian bared the white of her teeth as she grinned half-heartedly. "It was a beautiful wedding, don't you agree?"

"Hmm...you do realize Keiko threatened your position as 'woman-with-the-strangest-hats', don't you?" The empath smirked impishly as she locked her eyes on Guinan's, silently laughing at the swirl of emotions she sensed from her friend.

The El-Aurian returned it with a knowing smile of her own, slightly annoyed by the counselor's jest. "Just wait until you see the -new- hat I ordered." She watched as the counselor shook her head, her loose curls dancing around her shoulders.

Guinan, along with all the other guests at the wedding, had noticed what a beautiful couple Deanna and the First Officer made and for the millionth the bartender wondered just what had aspired between the two in the past. "I understand the bride had a case of cold feet?"

A small snort left Deanna's throat as she dropped her head. "Just a -small- case" she said in a tone that managed to indicate the opposite. "Data actually solved it. Or perhaps not 'solved' it, but he got Keiko thinking it over. Which is more than what I managed to do." With a push of her feet Deanna swung her chair around so that she was directly facing the El-Aurian. "What's it with you people anyway? First you're after my job, now Data...who's next? The captain?"

The bartender stared at the counselor for a while; Troi's tone was harsher than it should've been. Was, or wasn't she joking? "I told you, it's the office" she retorted once opting to go with the first assumption. Brown eyes watched as Deanna stood up from her chair and began to collect the empty glasses of the tables around them. Not too comfortable with her guest doing her job Guinan too rose to her feet and began collecting as well.

She knew from experience that the empath needed to move around to shake of the tension from her fellow shipmates of the last couple of days. "Did you ever see the ambassador?" She could swear Troi froze for a second.

"You mean, why didn't I sense her deceit?" Deanna continued wandering from table to table, keeping her back turned towards her friend. "The captain never asked me to and I was all too happy to use the time to catch up with my paperwork."

"My, aren't we touchy" The words, said with a gentle smile, made Deanna spin around instantly. Her defiant look died as she caught the white of Guinan's teeth and her shoulders slumped.

"Long days, rollercoaster emotions...and no chocolate." She added with some blame. Of course she'd ate the last of Guinan's stock after their little encounter with the two dimensional creatures and Guinan hadn't had a chance to get some new chocolate.

"Three days and you'll have all the chocolate you can eat."

"I'll hold you to that." They put the collected glasses in the recycler simultaneous and Deanna hopped onto the bar were she sat down in tailor fashion at the left end, her back resting against the wall. "I take it you didn't see her either?"

The El-Aurian empathically shook her head. "I wonder how much information she took back with her to the Empire."

"Hmm...I know my mother hardly has any information about Federation, or Starfleet security or tactics. But then, she's more interested in the different men she encounters." The Betazoid accepted the mug Guinan held out to her and looked at her quizzically.

"Something to help you sleep."

"Better be something strong."

"Believe me, it is."

Deanna carefully placed the mug on the bar and then untangled her legs to jump onto the floor. "I guess I'd better return to my quarters then, before I fall a sleep on the bar and have to explain to every one that I'm not an...an...what's the word? Alcoholic?" At Guinan's nod she grinned triumphantically and picked up her mug again to head for her quarters. "But just drugged."

This time Guinan shook her head as she watched the counselor leave, her long skirt flapping behind her and her hair bobbing up an down. "Peaceful emotions Miss Troi."

"Happy thoughts Guinan."

And the doors closed.


	5. Midnight Counseling V DS9: The Muse

**Midnight**** Counseling V**

(DS9: The Muse)

With her eyes already half-lidded from sleep she pressed the enunciator of the door in front of her. The anticipated reply however didn't come and so she pressed the chimes again. And again until she got tired of it and simply keyed in the access code.

She found the person she was looking for sitting in front of a computer-monitor, black eyes unseeing, mouth half open and not a single visible movement. Guinan circled the familiar figure, until she could cast her eyes upon the monitor, which was, as she now could see, black. 

"Deanna?" She tried cautiously to bring Troi's attention to herself, but when she failed she placed her hand among the light, straight tresses on Deanna's shoulder. The physical contact finally drew a reaction in the form of a quiet "I don't believe this"

"Believe what?"

The empath seemed to fall out her daze and swung her chair around to face her visitor. "Hmm? Oh, Guinan!" She shook her head, shaking the shock of her earlier conversation off her and stood up from her chair to relocate herself on her couch.

Guinan stepped to the replicator and got both of them something to drink, then she settled across from Deanna. "What got you in such a state of shock?"

"Mother" she answered plainly, adding a roll of her eyes to emphasize her annoyed tone.

"What did she do?" 

A half-amused, half upset snort left her throat. "It's more like what *didn't* she do. She got married, pregnant, run away, divorced, remarried, then left her husband, who happens to be Chief of Security on space station Deep Space Nine, in as little time as six months. And of course I had to hear it from Worf first, before she bothered to tell me."

Guinan blinked.

And blinked again. God knew she had pulled some stunts in her lifetime, but she'd need another hundred years to equal Lwaxana Troi, no doubt. "Well, I married a couple of times during my life--" The sentence was left unfinished on purpose, something both women were content with.

"Yeah, but you have six *hundred* years behind you; she'll be lucky to make it to the two." She had a point there. Two hundred times another six months. Two husband each period and a child, that would add up to four hundred ex-husbands and a hundred children.

Deanna seemed to have come to a similar conclusion, because just when the El-Aurian failed to keep her laughter inside, Troi began to giggle. "We'll need a bigger place" she remarked between laughs.

"Is she happy?"

Apparently the question gave the counselor something to think about, for she remained quiet of what seemed like ages. Only moving to sip her drink, or tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "For the moment, yes. Tomorrow she'll start whining about being fat and having no control over her telepathy and when the baby is born she'll be in sixth heaven and looking for a husband again."

That sounded like Lwaxana already. "Why didn't she stay with the father of the baby?" 

Another snort was her response. "If there's anything that infuriates my mother, it is a man assuming he can make a woman his property and when he then informs her, her child is to be raised by solely men, he's infuriated her in just about every way possible." She shrugged uninterested and put her glass down.

"There is something to be said for that, you know." The El-Aurian watched her friend smile and studied her face. She thought she'd heard something in her voice earlier on...a touch of "Deanna, correct me if I'm mistaken, but aren't you a little jealous?"

Her smile grew a little wider, and then disappeared. "I would settle for a husband and a child really." Guinan did a double take, unsure how sincere her friend was. Sure Deanna was the family type of person, but she seemed pretty happy and content at the moment. "In about five or ten years" she added with a big smirk.

Their eyes locked for a second and a hint of weariness tickled Guinan's mind. She reasoned that the question she originally came to ask could wait. "I have no doubt you'll have more children in twenty years than you'd care for. All the crying and changing diapers. Believe me, you're in for something."

She could tell Deanna wasn't half as amused as she appeared to be, but she was in a better mood than when Guinan had first walked in. And in the end that really was all what mattered, in as far as these midnight counseling sessions went of course.

A familiar far-a-way look had settled in the black Betazoid eyes again. A mix of sleep, weariness and thoughtfulness swirled together in the blackness. It made sense really. Nothing to make you think like your mother getting married again. She'd been there. "I think I'd better call it a night."

"Hmm." So much for an objection.

"Peaceful emotions Miss Troi."

"Hmm...oh! Happy thoughts Guinan" she returned just in time.

And the doors closed.


	6. Midnight Counseling VI Clues

**Midnight**** Counseling VI**

(Clues)

Deanna Troi entered the darkened lounge without specific purpose, other then finding her friend. She found the other woman sitting at the bar, her aura simply shouted thoughtfulness. Curious about whatever was bothering the wise El-Aurian she quickly made her way through Ten-Forward. Using the chair next to Guinan as step-up, Deanna crawled onto the bar and settled with her legs crossed in tailor-fashion.

She reached behind her and picked up two glasses and a bottle and poured the yellow liquid --not dissimilar to the drink known as Ice-tea back in the twenty-first century on Earth-- into the glasses, then shove one to her friend. "You seem, occupied." 

The dark-skinned woman lifter her head slightly and smiled a small smile. "More like mystified." Her correction surprised Deanna to the point of arching one eyebrow. It seemed impossible that something mystified Guinan, for almost by law of nature, she usually was the one who mystified. 

"The wormhole?" She queried gently, putting down her now empty glass. She had been thirstier than she'd thought.

Again surprising her, the El-Aurian shook her head. "Dixon Hill." At that Troi smiled, having experienced one of the captain's detective programs. It mystified her too actually, that someone so bent on negotiating and avoiding bodily harm enjoyed a tale set in a time of violence to such extend.

But then it did remain nothing more than a holo-program; no real people were killed and perhaps it was that that made it tolerable for the captain. And of course the mystery was what really drew him, a mystery with just enough clues to solve, without making it too easy. A challenge to his intellect.

"And where he ever got that bleached bimbo from god may know."

The emotions she sensed from her friend --annoyance above all-- were so unusual they piqued Deanna's interest more than a chocolate sundae would've had at that moment. "Bleached bimbo?" 

Guinan's smile grew wider as she appraised the black-eyed counselor. "Nothing but a colorful Terran term Miss Troi. Not one of the most polite ones either." Deanna seemed satisfied with that explanation, although a small string of curiosity remained. I can look it up in the computer later, she figured and returned to the original topic.

"It is quite amazing" she started, waiting until the El-Aurian met her eyes before continuing "how a species that strives so fervently towards the future like humans, remain so attached to their past."

"Indeed" Guinan murmured "but ones roots are in the past, never in the future."

Since no verbal acknowledgement was required Deanna remained silent and focused her eyes on Guinan's hat. For some reason the swirl of bright green colors on the hat invoked a sense of déjà vû in her. A wave of dizziness suddenly overwhelmed her and before she could recover she fell to the left. 

As if she had anticipated Troi's fall, the hostess shot to her feet and steadied the counselor before she'd lost her balance completely. "You all right?" Deanna lifted a hand to indicate a moment of silence and kept her eyes closed as she recovered.

"It's worse this time."

"This time?" 

Sensing her concern Troi hurried to explain "It happened before. Beverly isn't sure what caused it, but we're guessing it's some sort of side-affect of traveling through the wormhole." As good as the empath was at hiding her emotions, it was a lot more difficult to hide them for the sensitive El-Aurian.

"But you're not sure."

Their eyes locked and both of the women did their utmost to read each other's minds. They'd been able to pick of thoughts from each other before, but only after intense preparation and concentration. It wasn't that they really wanted to read each other, but being both so sensitive of mind had drawn them to one another and although Guinan was in no way as sensitive as Deanna, she did understand the daily strain the woman was under. And so the playful experiment had developed.

"You feel it too, don't you?" It wasn't exactly mind reading, more like recognizing a thought pattern similar to her own. "That more happened than unconsciousness when we traveled through the wormhole."

With one -very- slow nod Guinan conceded. "Have you told the captain about those feelings?" 

Guinan nearly smiled when Troi's expression didn't change. The woman had an uncanny ability to slide a mask in front of her face without anybody realizing, if she put her mind to it. "No more than you have" she replied evenly.

"Perhaps it is a mystery that should remain unsolved." All Deanna did was smile and watch as the El-Aurian lifted her now empty glass and threw it into the recycler.

"You missed" she predicted even before the glass shattered on the floor, never turning to look.

"Give me a retry?" With a bow that send black curls spilling forward over her shoulders she handed her own glass over. This time Guinan didn't miss, although being slightly distracted by Troi long yawn. "At least it isn't a mystery what you have to do. Get some sleep Deanna, perhaps that will even solve the mystery of your dizziness."

Taking the advice Deanna hopped off the bar, regarding Guinan for a few seconds. "Think you can get me that hat in deep purple?"

"Peaceful emotions Miss Troi." She returned, intentionally in a slightly disapproving tone. And again Deanna just smiled; her smile obvious even with her back turned to the bartender.

"Happy thoughts Gloria."

And the doors closed.

=====

_Note: Gloria refers to the character Picard had asked Guinan to play: Gloria from __Cleveland__._

_Bleached Bimbo refers to holo-Dix's secretary Madeline, who refused to let 'Dix' know Gloria had arrived._

Please, reviews would be vastly appreciated; especially if you think one of them is behaving out of character.


	7. Midnight Counseling VII Night Terrors

Somewhat silly, but it fitted my mood and the episode, or so I thought ;)

**Midnight**** Counseling VII**

(Night Terrors)

Having just stopped by her quarters and looked into the mirror Deanna Troi knew she looked like she hadn't slept for days. Which she hadn't, save for a few stolen minutes. The arched eyebrow of her friend only confirmed that.

Surprisingly enough, Guinan looked as if she had slept for ten days straight. "Miss Troi." She greeted, already having two drinks ready on the bar.

"That wasn't the agreement." Deanna countered half heartedly and climbed onto the bar, keeping her eyes locked on the smiling face of her hostess.

"Consider it payback. You look like you haven't slept in days." The amused twinkle in the El-Aurian's brown eyes wasn't lost on the Counselor, neither was the irony.

"Hmm, I haven't. Despite being the only one on board who -could- sleep."

"So why aren't you asleep now?"

Two could play that came. "Why aren't you?" The bartender acknowledged the reply only with a small nod and a broader smile. "What's this by the way?" Troi asked, gesturing at her drink. Upon receiving nothing but a steady look she sighed and relented. "All right, I know; I won't tell, you won't tell." 

The silence between them stretched and each woman listened with relish; it had been too long since either of them had heard complete silence for too long now. "But I did save your precious costumers today" Deanna suddenly spoke with an evil glint in her black eyes.

"Hmm, today of all days I could've missed them like a toothache." She ignored the askew glance her visitor threw at her, convinced the counselor would realize the expression for what is was sooner or later. "But since you also saved -my- ass I guess I can tell you it's authentic El-Aurian Iraksuw."

"It tastes good, a little familiar." 

Guinan smiled enigmatically, but didn't explain the reason behind it. Instead she stood up and began cleaning the tables, not at all surprised when Troi didn't join her. "If you're so exhausted --and I can tell you are-- why won't you go to sleep?"

"I actually just dropped by on my way to the Bridge."

The El-Aurian turned around, waves of her disbelief slapping against the Betazoid's exhausted senses. "I thought I might as well keep Data company while enjoying the silence."

"Oh, can I come too?" Guinan asked in mock-excitement, throwing the cloth with which she quickly swiped the tables to Deanna, who caught it single handedly, dipped it in the sink behind the bar and threw it back.

"Only if you promise to be good and keep your mouth shut." Both women had to stifle a laugh at that. "I was beginning to think you weren't affected." Deanna confessed.

"Oh I was, I was just too busy keeping my bar in one piece."

"Must have been pretty messed up here."

"I'll say. You should have heard the theories; experiment by Starfleet, Captain Picard. I even had to use my little souvenir from Magus III"

That little piece of information brought Troi's head up, just as the cloth flew into her direction again. The action was repeated and within seconds it was back in Guinan's hands. "You mean that weapon which power source is nearly empty?" The dark-skinned woman nodded in confirmation. "I thought you could only use its first setting."

"That's true."

"You broke up a fight with the 'light a candle with pretty fireworks'-setting?" With the distance between them all Deanna could see was the whiteness of Guinan's eyes and teeth. She couldn't hold back her laughter; a bunch of first class Starfleet officer scared by a phaser blast that would cause two burned hairs at most.

When she approached the bar again, after Deanna had been silent for too long for her liking, Guinan tried to discern whether the Counselor was asleep or not. When she opened her right eye and looked straight into her host's eyes. "You're wondering who they were right?"

"I was actually hoping you might have an idea."

"I don't."

"Well, in that case I'd like to think we have some friends out there, as invisible as they may be." They shared a look of mutual understanding before Deanna drank the last of her Iraksuw. "It still tastes familiar."

"Well, it does contain about twice as much caffeine than the strongest black Terran coffee." 

The confession drew a long groan from Troi. "I'm going to make you pay for that!"

"Check back in three days! I'm going to get some -sleep-. Have fun with Data!"

"Happy dreams Guinan."

"Peaceful nightmares Miss Troi."

And the doors closed.


End file.
